


30 OTP Challenge

by PatchworkKat



Series: Rori Cousland [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 09:23:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4914016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkKat/pseuds/PatchworkKat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each chapter is a different day. Alistair and Warden Rori Cousland .</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One: Holding Hands

“It’s my land! Therefore they are my druffalo!” Arl Something-Or-Other cried out in outrage and stomped his foot like a stubborn child. 

“They were sired by my bull! Therefore they’re mine. No matter where the wild herd took them.” Arl Likes-Orlisian-Masks argued right back. 

Alistair tried to focus, really he did, but this throne was ridiculously uncomfortable. The ornate decorations poked at his back and the hard, marble slab wore at his bottom. How his wife sat straight and perfect in her equally ridiculous throne. 

Alistair looked her over, amazed once again that they were actually married. Her long red hair was down for once, cascading over her shoulders in waves left from her usual braided buns. Each time she turned her head the light danced across each strand. When she turned to catch his eye those pretty blue eyes were full of mischief. 

“You should be paying attention.” Though she was whispering she didn’t need to. The arls were too busy insulting each other to pay much attention to the king and queen. 

“To druffello rights? Just give them each half, I don’t care. You look beautiful today.” That earned him a blush and that perfect posture broke as she shyly dipped away. He leaned across the arm of his throne, pointed ears of a stone mabari stabbing into his belly, and took her hand. She let him pull it to his lips, kissing each darling finger individually. “I love you.” 

“Your majesties?” Apparently the arls weren’t as busy as he thought. At least not so busy as not to notice their king with his arse in the air as he tried to get closer to his blushing queen. Slowly he slipped back into his chair properly, refusing to let go of Rori’s hand. 

Blushing bride or not, Rori still spoke with more authority than most nobles. “My husband,” a phrase that had him bursting with pride, “has decreed that you shall split the captured druffello evenly. As you would have heard had you not been bickering like Orlisians.” This time she lifted his hands to her lips and placed a chaste kiss across his knuckles. “Is that correct My King?” 

“But there are an uneven amount of young bulls in the herd…” 

“Then as breeding rights decree, the arl whose bull sired the lot will have the extra.” She stood and her ruffled skirt flowed out over the stone steps leading towards their throne. As her hand was still in Alistair’s he had to stand as well, though his rising wasn’t nearly as regal. “Now if you gentlemen will excuse us we’re are late for lunch.” She looked at each man in turn and Alistair heard the silent ‘and it’s your fault’ that look added. 

The arls, however, did not. “But your majesty-“

“Oh don’t worry my dears, Sir Alain will kindly escort you to your carriages. I know how confusing this castle can get. Good evening.” With that she turned on her heel, effectively ending all conversation as she led her husband out. Zevran would tease him if he dared to say it out loud, but Alistair thought there was something glorious about a woman that could take charge like Rori could. 


	2. Day Two: Cuddling

At Redcliff a maid took a reed to his hands when he hugged the Arl’s leg and dirtied his pants. In the Chantry he was scolded in front of all the other kids for clinging to a priestess when a thunder storm startled him. All his life, Alistair had been taught that he couldn’t touch, couldn’t hug, but with Rori all of that changed. 

The fire was slowly dying but neither moved to tend it. Alistair was too content to move with his arms full of his lover, head resting on her chest, and her fingers combing through his hair. Rori was humming softly, some tune he half remembered from his childhood. The Blight still raged on around them, but somehow they had found a moment of peace. He tightened his hold, as if he could keep her there forever. As if they could truly survive this together. 


	3. Day Three: Seeing a Play

A quick jab in his side startled Alistair awake. He straightened in his seat and glanced around frantically, trying to remember where he was. Below him an actor was reading off the history of Avaline. A story that should not sound as dull as this man’s monotone made it. He let out a little groan. 

“Could you try to act like a king for the next hour?” Eamon, the source of the current pain in his side, hissed. “And for Maker’s sake, wake the Queen up as well.” 

Like her husband, Rori had fallen asleep to the ramblings. Her head rested on Alistair’s shoulder, and she looked too peaceful to be bothered. He brushed a hair from her cheek and grinned like a fool when those sleepy, blue eyes fluttered open. A soft smile lit her face up as he bent for a kiss. “Good morning.” He whispered. 

“Mmm, morning? Did I sleep that long?” She glanced at the stage and let out a groan herself. “Andraste’s knickers, he’s not even at the tourney yet. How is he not at the tourney yet? At this rate he’ll never finish.” She glanced around at the half-empty theater. “Think we could sneak out?” 

“Not with Eamon watching us.” Alistair replied as he searched for an exit with her. “Apparently this is an important kingly matter. Have I mentioned how much I hate you for making me king?” 

“Twenty-seven times in the last week. Which is almost as many times as you’ve said ‘I love you.’ At this point I’m wondering which will win out.” She smirked a bit. “With tomorrow’s council meeting, I’m betting on the former. Now, excuse me while I faint.” 

“Wait what?!” Alistair barely had time to react before Rori gasped and tumbled out of her chair. He scrambled to catch her before she hit the ground. “EAMON! Get me a healer!” She wasn’t a light woman and never had been, but he picked her up as if it was nothing and carried her back into the castle proper. Behind him their guest stumbled in his recital as the King stormed away. 

Alistair waited until Eamon had vanished off towards the healers chambers before giving the woman in his arms a hard shake. “Ah! Hey, careful.” She pressed her hand to her forehead and heaved a dramatic sigh. “The art of tactful feinting is so tiring.” 

“Give me better warning next time.” Alistair huffed. “For a moment I thought…” He shook his head, unable to continue. There were too many things that could go wrong, things that always wore on his mind. 

“I’m sorry.” Rori pulled him down for a kiss, trying to scare away all his worries. “I love you.” 

“I love you too.” He smiled softly as he stole another kiss. “And that love will always beat out anything else.” 


	4. Day Four: On a Date

Rori went low, hitting Alistair in the belly with her shoulder then shoving up, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard and didn’t bother getting up. To their right a knight was counting down his demise. “How is beating me up a date again?” 

“I wouldn’t be beating you up if you stopped skipping our little sparring sessions.” Rori held her hand out to help him up when her victory was proudly announced. “Come on, you have to admit that his is better than some stroll through the gardens with Eamon dogging our every step.” 

“Only if this ends with lunch.” He grunted as she helped him up. “Maybe with one of those cheese wheels we just got from the Anderfels?” He tugged her close. “We could pop open some wine and enjoy the ten minutes we have before our advisers drag us off.” 

Rori sighed. “Ten minutes isn’t much of a date either.” She let her husband lead her out of the ring and down towards the kitchen. 

Alistair nodded along. “Next time we’ll know to just sneak away.” The couple enjoyed a short lunch, a whole five minutes, before someone needed their attention. One last quick, cheese-flavored kiss and they were whisked away. 


	5. Day Five: Kissing

The first kiss, pressed softly against his jaw, woke him. Then the second landed on the crook of his neck. “Wake up.” He squeezed his eyes shut as tight as he could, not wanting to wake up from this dream. Another to his collar bone. “Alistair.” Her voice was sweet and sexy as her lips trailed lower over his chest. “Are you going to sleep the day away?” His breath caught in his throat when the next kiss hit his belly and she giggled at his reaction. “Still not awake?” She asked has her lips touched his hip. He could feel her hair teasing over his thigh as she moved again. His fists clenched in the sheets while he waited, over eager for that next brush of lips. 

They both give a startled little cry when the bedroom door slams open. “Your Majesty!? Queen Rori? You’re late for your meeting.” Her handmaiden called from the door. Alistair whimpered, finally opening his eyes to watch his glorious wife climb out of their bed. One last kiss pressed to his cheek before she skipped away. Being King was the worst. 


	6. Day Six: Wearing Each Other's Clothes

“Can’t I just pay you?” Alistair called from the tent, his voice shaky. Zevran was on his side, trying to gasp in air through his uncontrollable laughter. Leliana wasn’t doing much better. Even Morrigan had wandered from her hiding spot to watch. 

“You bet anything I wanted.” Rori tried hard to keep a straight face but broke into laughter. “This is the deal sweetie.” 

Alistair shuffled out of the tent with his face as red as the crimson gown he wore. He took a deep breath and began to dance the Remigold. 

”Remind me never to make a bet with you.” Morrigan shook her head at the embarrassing display. 

“This should be a reminder to all of you to never bet against me.” Rori laughed. “I always win.” 


	7. Day 7: Cosplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to the readers that have been waiting for this. Thank you for your faith! So sorry it's taking so long.

“It could have worked.” Rori muttered as they walked through town. “It should have worked.” 

“And yet it didn’t.” Alistair couldn’t help grinning. Sure their plan had technically failed, but it did succeed in getting them out of the castle. He’d been buried under paperwork for the past week with no end in sight. Rori, tired of seeing her husband slip into bed too exhausted to speak, had devised what she thought was the perfect plan. Fort Drakon, she’d called it, after their famous escape from the prison two years ago. The plan was to dress as city guards, slip out of the castle, and enjoy a day in town just the two of them. It seemed to be going well, they’d passed the royal advisors without so much as a second glance, made it all the way to the inner gate, before the Captain of the Guard had spotted them. He saw, not the King and Queen of Ferelden, but two stray guards avoiding their post. Now the two were patrolling Denerim with a small group of guards. 

“So much for our date.” Her helmet just barely hid her pout. She took his hand. “We should slip out at the next turn. Sure they’ll be down two men but what’s the worst that could happen?”

“They’ll be ambushed by those smugglers we’ve been hearing about?” Alistair mused. “Probably die since there’s only one seasoned fighter among them.”

Rori gave him the cutest little pout and fell back in line. She could never just abandon someone in need. It was one of his favorite things about her. They did run into the smugglers on that patrol and as he’d expected Rori jumped at the chance for battle. It might not have been the date she’d planed, but Alistair couldn’t be happier. 


	8. Day 8: Shopping

“It’s not for sale.” The woman argued, her voice rising. 

“There’s clearly a price tag on it!” Rori was getting just as loud. She towered over the small shop keep but the other woman wasn’t backing down. 

“I don’t sell to king slayers!” She hissed. “Now leave before I call the guards!” 

“Rori we should go.” Alistair grabbed her hand but she just snatched it back. 

“No! You want that creepy statuette so I’m going to get you the creepy statuette!” She slammed her money on the counter. “She’ll sell!” The women argued for an hour, long enough for an annoyed Shale and Morrigan to make their way into the small shop. At the sight of the golem the woman suddenly changed her tune. Though Alistair wasn’t entirely certain he wanted a statuette his girlfriend found creepy… 


End file.
